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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22570279">Tone Deaf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielletheHanyo/pseuds/DanielletheHanyo'>DanielletheHanyo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Knight Rider (1982), Knight Rider - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:33:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22570279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielletheHanyo/pseuds/DanielletheHanyo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kitt is not as tone deaf as he may have implied in Knight Song.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tone Deaf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To Michael, the trip to their next mission had been a long one. For Kitt's sake he had tried to be polite but his friend's attempt at singing had been just that. An attempt. It was almost physically painful to listen to. More than once he had considered jumping out or just all out telling the A.I. to shut up but had decided against both. Jumping out would do no good because Kitt would either lock the doors before he jumped or would be so distraught with worry that he crashed and would definitely blame himself. Telling his partner to shut up was also out of the equation because Michael didn't want to hurt Kitt's feelings. If singing made Kitt happy then who was he to take that happiness away? Indeed his friend seemed to be almost laughing in that awful singing and he knew for a fact that his buddy enjoyed music (not good old rock of course) as much as Michael himself did. Besides, Kitt had saved his life more times than he could count so the least he could do was endure the toneless torture of Kitt's "singing" for a little while.</p>
<p>After all, it was only a few hours and surely Kitt would grow bored eventually and play a virtual game of chess or switch to playing Vivaldi or Beethoven or SOMETHING other than singing. Fate had other ideas. Maybe it was some sort of payback for all those times on the first few cases into the partnership that Michael had treated Kitt with less respect of a partner and more towards that of a hot ride. Less than a sentient being and more of a speed machine that just conveniently talked. Michael didn't know what it was but he decided to keep is mouth shut out of respect for his partner whom he now saw as his closest friend and most trusted confidante.</p>
<p>That's why several hours later as they were pulling in to the parking lot of the hotel to check in for the night and Kitt fell (blessedly) silent for the first time in hours Michael couldn't help the sigh of relief that slipped out. After getting a room key and and parking he'd bid Kitt a goodnight and smiled back at the ritual goodnight sleep well from Kitt before heading up the stairs to his room to take a shower and sleep. Even with a distinct feeling of forgetting something.</p>
<p>Kitt watched as Michael climbed the stairs and briefly scanned the room before Michael entered just to be safe. After all, he really didn't care for Michael to be hurt in the slightest. After everything checked out Kitt continued to monitor Michael's vitals and listen in through the comm link to tell when Michael was in the shower. Once the water was started Kitt turned off his commlink scanner, cut the comm feed, and started to settle down for the night secure in the knowledge that his human was safe. Settling down for the night was a process that usually involved shutting down several various scanners (other than the main one), sensors, monitors, and subroutines to allow often times abused and certainly well used circuits the chance to cool off for the night.</p>
<p>Looking back on the day Kitt almost let a laugh loose out loud over the speakers. He had most certainly not wanted to sing with the group New Edition. However, aiding them in their music somehow seemed to be required to keep them from using his hood and roof as a percussion instrument. Well that or just driving away but he couldn't and wouldn't dare leave Michael alone without him and while he didn't like their music he does enjoy music in general. At first when they asked him to sing he feigned complete incompetence in tone and pitch hoping they would leave but they didn't. At least they didn't ask him to sing another note. They did however, mention that he made a far better drum then he did a singer. That was where he introduced them to the harmonic synthesizer and 'laid down a beat' as Michael would say it. He didn't mind proving the beat or rhythm as much as having to be used as a drum or singing one of their so called 'songs'. Anything was certainly preferable to leaving Michael there on his own. He absolutely despised leaving his partner alone. Of course Michael was unaware of this. He didn't mind singing either. He just minded what he would be singing.</p>
<p>'In fact,' Kitt mused. 'I believe I might be quite good at it.'</p>
<p>Yet another reason he couldn't help but be annoyed that his Michael hadn't realized that noise he had been making for the duration of their trip was just that. Noise. Granted, he had to give his partner credit for the patience and consideration he had shown by not telling Kitt to be quiet. If it had been one of their first cases together Michael probably would have done just that without a thought to Kitt's feelings. Well that or ripped his CPU out and just kept the car without the noisy A.I. Kitt was honestly going to tell him it was fake but decided that since Michael couldn't seem to tell on his own that Kitt was free to have a little fun and get back at his partner for all of the 'rock'n'roll' he had to listen to. It was fun. For a while. He felt almost guilty for it but he shoved those feelings to the back of his processor in exchange for a mixture of annoyance and sadness that his friend (the very person who he was built to be the other half of) had failed to recognize his fake singing and had not asked him to sing with his real singing voice.</p>
<p>'It can't be helped I suppose.'</p>
<p>After finally shutting down a few last programs and subroutines Kitt started up one of the more basic diagnostic scans to check for any damages or issues worth bringing up to Bonnie. Seeing as how it was a fairly routine scan Kitt went over some of the day's files and started to categorize them while the scan worked in the background. He almost didn't notice when he started to hum a little lullaby he had created. He really liked the little tune. So engrossed was he in his files and the scan he certainly didn't notice he had company because if he had noticed then he might have silenced himself.</p>
<p>Cutting the shower off and reaching for the towel Michael realized what he had forgotten. In his haste to get in the shower and then the bed he had completely forgotten his overnight bag with all his fresh clothes in it. While he had nothing against sleeping in his boxers he at least wanted a fresh pair. The fresh pair that just happened to be in the overnight bag in Kitt's trunk. So after toweling himself off he found himself throwing his clothes back on. It was about halfway down the outside staircase that he ended up stopping and cocking his head to the side to listen to a slight sound. Years of experience preparing him for the possibility of an ambush or attack. Listening more closely Michael relaxed a little as he realized it was a low sound like someone humming. Continuing on his way towards Kitt Michael couldn't help but realize the sound was coming from his partner. The partner who for the past few hours couldn't sing at all. Listening more closely he recognized a tune in the gentle lulling sound as it rose and fell with his partner's sweet voice.</p>
<p>'A lullaby of sorts?' Micheal thought as he crouched down in front of the Trans Am.</p>
<p>It truly was a lullaby too. A very beautiful one that was sad and sweet all at once and worked well with Kitt's voice. Actually his voice is what seemed to make it all the more lovely. Although Michael was certain he had never heard the tune before. It took a minute after being mesmerized by the song and Kitt's humming before it sank in that Kitt was in fact all but singing. Really well at that. So while Michael wasn't a genius at computers or vocals he knew for a fact that if his buddy could even produce that kind of sound by humming that he should by all means be able to sing. From the way Kitt sounded he might have been doing this for sometime which meant... Michael floundered for a minute as he had what could only be the human equivalent to a critical error followed by a system crash. Then reality hit him like a train so hard he almost planted his face on Kitt's hood.</p>
<p>"That was a conscious effort to sing horribly the whole ride here wasn't it?" Michael asked somehow keeping calm as he rubbed his face before laying a hand on the 'nose' of his pal and watching the scanner bar light flicker on before it began its nearly endless pacing once again.</p>
<p>Kitt was startled out of his diagnostics and files as he hurriedly scanned Michael's vitals to ensure his safety while he kicked everything back on. Only to find the 'intruder' to be his partner inches in front of him with his hand on his front bumper just under the scanner. 'Didn't he say something?' Kitt thought as he hurriedly went through the surveillance recorders logs. 'In the meantime, I had better acknowledge him.'</p>
<p>"I'm sorry Michael you startled me. Shouldn't you be in bed?" Kitt questioned before he found and listened to the audio file he was looking for.</p>
<p>"Oh don't give me that Kitt I know you heard me."</p>
<p>"Don't give you what? I am serious you need your rest. Tomorrow is likely to be a long day."</p>
<p>Michael gave Kitt a 'you have got to be kidding face' before Kitt finally continued.</p>
<p>"Oh. That... I plead the 5th."</p>
<p>"You plead the 5th! Seriously?! Kitt you can sing and yet you chose to murder my hearing in cold blood the entire trip up here."</p>
<p>"Really Michael? I murdered your hearing? Your hearing died a long and painful death years ago after being exposed to 'rock'n'roll'. Further more it could not have been in cold blood because I have no blood."</p>
<p>"Well, fine, cold circuits then!" Michael said before huffing "And what's wrong with my rock?"</p>
<p>"I don't like it. I believe I have already told you why. Although, if you would need to be reminded why I will gladly remind you."</p>
<p>"Of course you don't like it. Doesn't mean it could murder my hearing or even make my ears bleed. That noise you made on the way here is a different story altogether. I was gonna let it go and ignore it but now that I know it was fake and you can sing better than that I have to ask you why you decided to torture me with it buddy."</p>
<p>"To be honest I thought you would have known I could sing better than that, Michael. When have I ever been truly bad at something? Furthermore, I figured you would tell me to be quiet if it bothered you too much. I do have to give you credit for your patience and tolerance."</p>
<p>"Yeah well credit won't give me my hearing back now will it buddy?"</p>
<p>"Of course not Michael."</p>
<p>Shaking his head in exasperation Michael was about to continue when a yawn interrupted him.</p>
<p>"Now shouldn't you be in bed?" Kitt questioned and for a second Michael was sure he heard audible concern through that smug voice. Running a hand through his still damp hair Michael decided to call it quits and go to bed.</p>
<p>"Yeah whatever buddy. Goodnight, Kitt." Michael paused "Don't think you're off the hook just yet."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't dream of it and goodnight to you too Michael"</p>
<p>Moving around to the trunk and snagging his bag Michael bid his partner farewell once more before climbing the stairs back up towards his room for the night. If he happened to have heard that same relaxing lullaby coming through the comm link while he was sleeping he said nothing about it the next morning.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I believe this is actually the first Knight Rider fic I ever wrote. Eh, it was dusted off as well.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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